So, more dead electronics. I have a device that has several transistors, microcontroller, switches and such. This device was not plugged in at the time of the strike. I went to use it and it was totally dead. I opened it up. They use a glass fuse. The glass was shattered. Transistors were split in two. Several traces were gone. Again, it was not plugged in.
Holy smokes!
How in the world did it shatter the fuse? Was it that close to the tree?
Cable box?
Another very good guess. If I only watched TV.
Internet modem(our old one had a fuse)
So, more dead electronics. I have a device that has several transistors, microcontroller, switches and such. This device was not plugged in at the time of the strike. I went to use it and it was totally dead. I opened it up. They use a glass fuse. The glass was shattered. Transistors were split in two. Several traces were gone. Again, it was not plugged in.
Holy smokes! How in the world did it shatter the fuse? Was it that close to the tree?
The fuse is in-line with the secondary of a power transformer. The primary would normally go to the AC outlet. It was not plugged in and that glass shattered like what I have shown many times with my testing.
Harbor Freight DMM?
That or an AM/FM radio. I could see something with an antenna being "fried" by EMP.
HF meter is a very good guess. I'll give you another clue, the transient did not come through the power cord, or through the air. You know it hit a tree....
So, several traces, three transistors, exploded glass fuse and a shorted 104 cap. After about 2 hours of work, I tried to run it and the microcontroller is hot. No other activity. On the plus side, easy to order a new one and get on with the next video... I've got a date with a cheap meter and want to design the most unimpressive differential probe ever...
Wow... the sprinkler system then took quite a hit. I can imagine, as the "step voltage" is quite high.
("step voltage" is a technical term we used in Brazil to name the difference of potential between a "living thing's" feet while walking in the ground close to an electrical event such as a lightning strike - this was particularly troublesome for cattle farmers).
Internet modem(our old one had a fuse)
Well, that modem was dead for sure. As a matter of fact, the coax enters the house and goes to the modem. That's it. And again, it hit the phone lines which are not connected to anything. It also I suspect caused a huge common mode voltage on the mains which I suspect damaged some of my test equipment that was still plugged in but turned off at the time at both the equipment and power strips.
So let me give you another clue. To replace this device will cost me between $50 and $100. The old one uses a National COP if anyone remembers them.
Harbor Freight DMM?
That or an AM/FM radio. I could see something with an antenna being "fried" by EMP.
HF meter is a very good guess. I'll give you another clue, the transient did not come through the power cord, or through the air. You know it hit a tree....
So, several traces, three transistors, exploded glass fuse and a shorted 104 cap. After about 2 hours of work, I tried to run it and the microcontroller is hot. No other activity. On the plus side, easy to order a new one and get on with the next video... I've got a date with a cheap meter and want to design the most unimpressive differential probe ever...
Wow... the sprinkler system then took quite a hit. I can imagine, as the "step voltage" is quite high.
("step voltage" is a technical term we used in Brazil to name the difference of potential between a "living thing's" feet while walking in the ground close to an electrical event such as a lightning strike - this was particularly troublesome for cattle farmers).
BINGO!!! We have a winner!!!
The solenoids are very close to that tree. I checked their resistance and cycled them. Everything appears fine.
“Hey God, there is this dude down there that likes to torture innocent meters with voltage transients.”
GOD: “Really, well let me show him what a real TRANSIENT is!”
Nah, I’m sure it’s just a one in a million coincidence.....
I've seen bigger transients captured on Youtube.
So, more dead electronics. I have a device that has several transistors, microcontroller, switches and such. This device was not plugged in at the time of the strike. I went to use it and it was totally dead. I opened it up. They use a glass fuse. The glass was shattered. Transistors were split in two. Several traces were gone. Again, it was not plugged in.
Holy smokes! How in the world did it shatter the fuse? Was it that close to the tree?
The fuse is in-line with the secondary of a power transformer. The primary would normally go to the AC outlet. It was not plugged in and that glass shattered like what I have shown many times with my testing.
Ah, no wonder.
Wow... the sprinkler system then took quite a hit. I can imagine, as the "step voltage" is quite high.
("step voltage" is a technical term we used in Brazil to name the difference of potential between a "living thing's" feet while walking in the ground close to an electrical event such as a lightning strike - this was particularly troublesome for cattle farmers).
BINGO!!! We have a winner!!!
The solenoids are very close to that tree. I checked their resistance and cycled them. Everything appears fine.
Yep, all the clues fit together.
Joe, I don't know what control unit you had or how many stations, but I recently replaced an ancient
Toro unit with
this one from Orbit. The advantage is that it is enclosed, which even in a garage it will probably have a long life (my older unit was eaten from rust coming from dust and spider webs).
I've seen bigger transients captured on Youtube.
Sure, but they weren’t aimed at your home .... we just need a nickname for you now.
Lightning Joe?
Anyone?
I've seen bigger transients captured on Youtube.
Sure, but they weren’t aimed at your home .... we just need a nickname for you now.
Lightning Joe?
Anyone?
Nearly.......Joe Lightning ! ! !
Joe, I don't know what control unit you had or how many stations, but I recently replaced an ancient Toro unit with this one from Orbit. The advantage is that it is enclosed, which even in a garage it will probably have a long life (my older unit was eaten from rust coming from dust and spider webs).
Your ancient Toro controller was much newer than mine.
Mine uses a mechanical timer with programming pins. Why they even put a microcontroller in there, I am not sure.
I started to look at new ones but they all take a battery for the RTC. I don't need it to call my cell phone that I don't have have, update my blog or graph my water usage. It's grass, it gets water, don't over complicate it.
I've seen bigger transients captured on Youtube.
Sure, but they weren’t aimed at your home .... we just need a nickname for you now.
Lightning Joe?
Anyone?
Nearly.......Joe Lightning ! ! !
Now I need some sort of Joe Lightning intro for all my videos along with an action figure.
Joe, I don't know what control unit you had or how many stations, but I recently replaced an ancient Toro unit with this one from Orbit. The advantage is that it is enclosed, which even in a garage it will probably have a long life (my older unit was eaten from rust coming from dust and spider webs).
Your ancient Toro controller was much newer than mine. Mine uses a mechanical timer with programming pins. Why they even put a microcontroller in there, I am not sure.
I started to look at new ones but they all take a battery for the RTC. I don't need it to call my cell phone that I don't have have, update my blog or graph my water usage. It's grass, it gets water, don't over complicate it.
That was a concern of mine as well; both units (the old and the new) only use it for the RTC and to keep the programming in a power failure. I explicitly avoided the Wi-fi connected units because of that.
I plan to start work on the Meterk MK01A soon.
I plan to start work on the Meterk MK01A soon.
Kind of amazed it stayed in focus (if it only knew what was in store for it, it would be doing the 4th of July quiver)..
I plan to start work on the Meterk MK01A soon.
Joe Lightning STRIKES AGAIN!! Look forward to the $9.00 shootout....
Now I need some sort of Joe Lightning intro for all my videos along with an action figure.
Fits you quite well IMO Joe, when at home busting meters, sparks and smoke all over the place and when you're on the drag bike .....lightning fast !
Nice job with that new "spare parts" diff probe, Joe.
That was one fine "8 Mhz probe"
Hi there, im looking forward to see how the mertek meter performs. In addition to comments on the video, could you show the ceramic fuses internals?
Hi there, im looking forward to see how the mertek meter performs. In addition to comments on the video, could you show the ceramic fuses internals?
I plan to pull both fuses apart after seeing where they open up at.
Nice job with that new "spare parts" diff probe, Joe.
That was one fine "8 Mhz probe"
It works better than I expected it would. Looks like the price for the MICSIG DP10013 jumped $30 USD on Amazon since the last time I looked.